Midnight Encounter
by TripleMelody
Summary: Mana grieves for the loss of her best friends, Mahad and Atem. Months after their deaths, during a midnight walk, she hears a shattering noise and goes to investigate. She winds up finding a broken vase and a guard named Malik. Dedicated to Unique Art.


This is a one-shot that I wrote as a (now very late) birthday present for Unique Art, one of my favourite writers. She is an extremely talented writer. If you haven't read her stories yet, you have to. All of them are amazing, and you will love them.

Sorry this is so late, Art! Hope you enjoy it! Thanks for always being such a terrific friend!!

For the purposes of this one-shot, Isis and the other guardians (except Mahad) are still alive after the battle with Zorc.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, any of its characters, or the setting. **

It had been three months, three weeks and four days since Mahad had sealed himself away. It had been three months, two weeks and five days since the Pharaoh had defeated Zorc and sealed himself away in the process. It's been three months, two weeks and four days since I've spoken more than six words at once. The same amount of time that it's taken me to stop crying every morning when I wake up, and every night when I fall asleep.

I didn't realize how much it hurts to lose someone. Especially when those someones happens to be the two people I love, my two best friends in the world. Especially when one of them was the boy I've loved since we were children. It hurts all the more because I never got to tell him how I feel. It kills me inside every time I even think his name. _Atem._ How I miss you, my beloved friend.

And Mahad. My master, my mentor, my friend. I miss him, too. He was like a father to me - always watching out for me, always there for me, ever so patient, and always helping and teaching me. I loved him. I feel so bad for Isis. She loved him, too. She never said it, but I knew she did. And I think that Mahad loved her, too. They were just too shy to say it.

A lot of people have lost their loved ones, our new Pharaoh included. Priest Seto took over as Pharaoh, and he's been doing a remarkable job restoring Egypt to peace, considering he lost the woman he loved during the battle against Zorc.

Zorc. That name. That evil _monster_ that took my best friends from me, along with countless others. And Bakura. That cruel, heartless, excuse for a human being! How _could_ he? How could he help that monster take so many lives, and destroy so many families? How?

I know there's no point in all this anger, when there's no one left to be mad at. I know that Mahad and Atem would want me to move on with my life; they would want me to be happy. Mahad would want me to keep practicing and learning magic, so that one day I could teach others. Atem would want me to go back to being that cheerful, content, energetic and bubbly girl I

used to be, before all of this happened. He would want me to be living my life, so that I could fulfill all my wishes, hopes and dreams. So that I could live the life that we've both always wanted - but that only I could ever have. We both wanted to be free from the constraints of palace life, free from our duties (even if just for a week), free from our obligations (even if just for a day), free from expectations, free to do whatever we wanted, go wherever we please, free to truly live. Atem had always urged me to take any opportunities that presented themselves to me, such as travel, because he knew how much I would enjoy and learn from it. And because he knew that he would never have the same freedom as me.

_If nothing else, I have to try. I have to try to live, to move on. For them. For Mahad and Atem. For them, I will try my hardest, to live, for all three of us._

_I will try._

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_One month later_

It was midnight in the palace. Everyone was sleeping, except for the guards who were on night patrol. Everyone else was sleeping . . . with the lone exception of a young girl with spiky brown hair that bounced up and down as she tiptoed out of her room and down the hall.

This was the first time Mana had ventured out of her room in weeks. It felt surprisingly good to be walking in the halls again. _I should have came out as soon as I made that promise to myself, instead of waiting another month to summon the courage._ Mana peeked around a corner at the same instant that she heard a shattering noise. She jumped slightly, and crushed herself into the wall. Once she had recovered from the initial fright, she quickly ran back to her room, and emerged a minute later with her staff in hand. She smiled as she ran back down the hallway, and turned the corner, this time with a destination in mind. She knew exactly where the noise had come from, which object was now lying on the ground in fragments, and exactly how long she had to reach the location before the nearby guards arrived there. She made another turn and, though she was smiling, a single tear ran down her cheek.

Minutes later, Mana was met with the sight of a young man, dressed in a guard's uniform, kneeling on the floor with a frantic expression on his face. He had gathered up all the pieces of what used to be a large ornamental vase, but now resembled a jigsaw puzzle. He looked up as Mana walked over to him, and his eyes grew wide in fear. "I swear it was an accident! I was just practicing with my spear, and I kind of hit the vase, but it was an accident, I promise! Please don't report me, this is only my second shift, and I really want to stay here with my sister, Isis, who I love very much, and -" the boy was cut off by Mana's outburst of giggles. "What's so funny?" he demanded fearfully. Mana smiled at him, her green eyes sparkling with a light that hadn't been present for a long time. "You. I've never met a boy who could out-talk me." With that, she extended her hand. "I'm Mana. I'm an apprentice magician here at the palace." The boy hastily stood up and shook her hand. "I'm Malik, a palace guard, but you already knew that." "Nice to meet you, Malik." "You, too, Mana."

They stared at each other for a few moments, before Mana raised her staff. "I guess I should fix the vase before somebody comes to investigate, right?" Malik eyes widened, this time with hope. "Really, you would do that for me?" Mana nodded, and got to work, waving her staff in various swirling motions. "Just so you know, Malik, this isn't the first time this vase has been broken, and I can guarantee you it won't be the last." Malik frowned in confusion. "How do you know that?" Mana laughed. "Well, you see, _I_ was the first person to break the vase, when I was a little kid. I was playing hide-and-go-seek with my friend, and I hid in there. However, when I tried to get out, I got stuck. I was flailing about, trying to free myself, when the vase tipped over and shattered - like what happened with you. The good news was that I was out, the bad news was that my friend found me, along with two of the guards. My friend told them it was his fault, because he knew that the guards would let him off, since he'd never broken anything before, unlike me."

"_Atem was always there to get me out of trouble. He was always there, and I'll never be able to repay him for all those times he's rescued me," _Mana thought sadly.

"If you don't mind me asking, who was your friend? He sounds like a nice person," Malik asked. Mana's eyes filled with tears as she replied. "He was a nice person, the nicest person I've ever met. Back then, he was the Prince of Egypt. Today, he's the former Pharaoh, the one who saved us all, at the cost of his own life."

Malik's eyes widened. "I'm so sorry, Mana. I shouldn't have asked." Mana shook her head. "No, it's fine. It's just hard for me to talk about him. He was my best friend. I loved him," she spoke the last part so softly that Malik wasn't sure if he had heard her properly. Mana gave her staff a final flick, and when Malik turned to look, the ornamental vase looked like it had never fallen. "Wow," he said, stunned. "You're amazing. How can I ever repay you for helping me?" Mana winked at him. "You keep my secret, and I'll keep yours, deal?" Malik smiled and nodded. Then he frowned, and looked at her closer. "Wait a second. Have I met you before?"

Mana tilted her head and starred at him. Then her eyes light up. "Isis? You said Isis was your sister?" Malik nodded. "Of course! You're Isis' little brother! Well, I mean, younger, but you _were_ little, last time we met. I remember now - I saw you a few years ago, when you and your parents came to visit Isis!" Malik nodded enthusiastically. "I remember that day. Isis introduced me to some people as she took us on a tour around the palace. You were with Mahad, right? You were his apprentice, and you came and practically tackled me in a hug, saying it was nice to meet Isis' brother. I was really surprised, and my parents and sister were laughing so hard. You were really friendly and nice, I remember that. I thought you were cute," he finished, blushing a little.

Mana giggled, her cheeks reddening slightly, too. "I thought you were pretty cute, too. I was so disappointed when I came over to Isis' chamber the next day, and she told me you'd gone back home. I had wanted someone to play with, since Prince was busy doing something with his father, and I had just set fire to the curtains in Mahad's room - by accident, of course. I was trying to see if I could open them with my staff, and I forgot to pronounce the "z" in the spell, and the curtains went up in a whoosh of flames! It was so cool, but it smelled really bad afterwards, plus Mahad made me practice that spell for a month afterwards until I could do it perfectly."

Malik laughed, and then his expression of amusement was replaced by that of fear, as he and Mana turned to meet the gazes of the two guards who had just arrived. Mana smiled and waved at them - she had known them both for years. "Hi Akil! Hi Anhur! How are you?" Akil and Anhur exchanged stunned glances. They hadn't heard Mana talk in so long, and here she was, smiling, out of her room, and looking alive again. "We're good, thank you, Mana," said Akil, returning her smile. "What was that sound we heard?" Anhur asked curiously. Malik began to panic, but Mana subtly winked at him, before answering: "Oh, I knocked into the vase when I was running. You know how clumsy I can be! Anyways, I've fixed it, and I'm sorry I made you guys leave your posts." Akil smiled at her. "Don't worry about it, Mana. I'm just glad it wasn't someone trying to break into the palace. Are you okay?" Mana nodded. "Good. Anhur and I should get back. See you later, Mana!" Akil and Anhur waved goodbye, and started walking back to their positions.

Malik smiled gratefully at Mana. "You didn't have to do that, you know. Thank you, though, I really appreciate all that you've done for me." Mana's smile widened, and, without a moment's hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him in a quick hug. "Anytime, Malik, anytime." As she spoke the words, she realized they were true. She would do this for him again, if he needed her, too.

"I should probably get back to bed," Mana said, yawning. Malik nodded. "Thanks again, Mana. Good night. Or good morning now, I guess," he said, realizing it was past midnight. Mana laughed a little, nodding in agreement. She turned to go, then stopped.

"Malik?"

"Yes, Mana?"

"Would it be all right if I came back here tomorrow night - or I guess tonight? Just to talk to you? If you'd like company, that is."

"I'd love some company, actually, thank you."

Mana turned back, a content smile on her face. Malik's face mirrored hers. "So I guess I'll see you later, then?" Malik nodded. Mana smiled once more, waved goodbye, and started walking again. She had just reached the corner when she heard Malik whisper: "Mana, I can't imagine how devastated you're feeling right now. I've seen how hard it is for my sister. And I know we just met and all, but . . . I want you to know that I'm always here, if you need someone to talk to, or just be with. Just keep that in mind, okay? That you always have a friend you can come to, if you ever need anything."

Mana smiled through her sudden tears, touched by this simple gesture of kindness and friendship. Before she turned the corner, she whispered back: "Thank you, Malik. Thank you, my friend."

_A/N: Hope that was okay! I wasn't too sure how to end this. I was thinking about adding: "Thank you, Atem. Thank you, Mahad. For sending me this angel as my friend." at the end, but I wasn't sure if that would be fitting._

_Essentially, Malik is going to help Mana slowly heal from her loss, and help her start over again. He'll be the friend she needs right now, someone who can help her grieve for Mahad and Atem, and heal her heart. He'll be her friend, and, maybe, someday more. I'll leave that part up to your imaginations. :)_

_Art, again, I'm so sorry this is so late! I hope you enjoyed it!_

_Thanks for reading everyone!_

_~Melody_


End file.
